On Tuesday, Nelson Chamisa, the presidential candidate of one of Zimbabwe's prominent opposition parties, called upon President Emmerson Mnangagwa to announce a date for the country's national elections. Chamisa made this demand after confirming his name on the voters' roll, addressing concerns raised by numerous voters, including senior politicians, who claimed that their names had been removed or misplaced on the roll.

 

Speaking outside the registration center, Chamisa expressed his concern about President Mnangagwa's evasiveness regarding the election date. He emphasized the importance of people being able to plan ahead, including requesting leave days, making arrangements for those in the diaspora to return, and allowing international investors to align their schedules with the election date. Chamisa criticized Mnangagwa for his perceived disorganization and requested that the election dates be announced well in advance.

 

In response, President Mnangagwa stated that the election date, expected to be in August, would be announced during the current week. However, Chamisa's party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), raised concerns about the voters' roll made available for public inspection by the election authorities, describing it as riddled with errors. The CCC highlighted missing names and instances where individuals were unknowingly registered to vote in locations outside their residential wards.

 

CCC lawmaker David Coltart, a former education minister, revealed that he couldn't find his name on the list at his local polling station. He further criticized the voters' roll, describing it as chaotic and potentially targeted against CCC members. Numerous other individuals reported similar issues, suggesting a widespread problem.

 

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), another opposition party, also voiced similar complaints, and Witness Dube, an MDC spokesperson, expressed doubts about the upcoming elections' fairness and credibility.

 

Zimbabwe's election authorities acknowledged the errors and pledged to rectify them, stating that the voters' roll inspection was designed precisely for such purposes. Rodney Kiwa, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission deputy chairman, admitted that they were not perfect.

 

President Mnangagwa, who assumed power in 2017 following the ousting of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, faces significant discontent as he grapples with addressing entrenched poverty, chronic power shortages, and economic hardships. Earlier this year, concerns were raised by civic activists regarding irregularities in the electoral boundaries, including the inclusion of wards located in Antarctica.